The present invention relates to trench MOSFET devices, and more particularly to trench MOSFET devices with improved on-resistance.
A trench MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) is a transistor in which the channel is formed vertically and the gate is formed in a trench extending between the source and drain. The trench, which is lined with a thin insulator layer such as an oxide layer and filled with a conductor such as polysilicon (i.e., polycrystalline silicon), allows less constricted current flow and thereby provides lower values of specific on-resistance. Examples of trench MOSFET transistors are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,266, 5,541,425, and 5,866,931, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
As a specific example, FIG. 1 illustrates half of a hexagonally shaped trench MOSFET structure 21 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,266. The structure includes an n+ substrate 23, upon which is grown a lightly doped n epitaxial layer 25 of a predetermined depth depi. Within the epitaxial layer 25, p body region 27 (p, p+) is provided. In the design shown, the p body region 27 is substantially planar (except in a central region) and typically lays a distance dmin below the top surface of the epitaxial layer. Another layer 28 (n+) overlying most of the p body region 27 serves as source for the device. A series of hexagonally shaped trenches 29 are provided in the epitaxial layer, opening toward the top and having a predetermined depth dtr. The trenches 29 are typically lined with oxide and filled with conductive polysilicon, forming the gate for the MOSFET device. The trenches 29 define cell regions 31 that are also hexagonally shaped in horizontal cross-section. Within the cell region 31, the p body region 27 rises to the top surface of the epitaxial layer and forms an exposed pattern 33 in a horizontal cross section at the top surface of the cell region 31. In the specific design illustrated, the p+ central portion of the p body region 27 extends to a depth dmax below the surface of the epitaxial layer that is greater than the trench depth dtr for the transistor cell so that breakdown voltage is away from the trench surface and into the bulk of the semiconductor material.
A typical MOSFET device includes numerous individual MOSFET cells that are fabricated in parallel within a single chip (i.e., a section of a semiconductor wafer). Hence, the chip shown in FIG. 1 contains numerous hexagonal-shaped cells 31 (portions of five of these cells are illustrated). Cell configurations other than hexagonal configurations are commonly used, including square-shaped configurations. In a design like that shown in FIG. 1, the substrate region 23 acts as a common drain contact for all of the individual MOSFET cells 31. Although not illustrated, all the sources for the MOSFET cells 31 are typically shorted together via a metal source contact that is disposed on top of the n+ source regions 28. An insulating region, such as borophosphosilicate glass (not shown) is typically placed between the polysilicon in the trenches 29 and the metal source contact to prevent the gate regions from being shorted with the source regions. Consequently, to make gate contact, the polysilicon within the trenches 29 is typically extended into a termination region beyond the MOSFET cells 31, where a metal gate contact is provided on the polysilicon. Since the polysilicon gate regions are interconnected with one another via the trenches, this arrangement provides a single gate contact for all the gate regions of the device. As a result of this scheme, even though the chip contains a matrix of individual transistor cells 31, these cells 31 behave as a single large transistor.
Demand persists for trench MOSFET devices having ever-lower on-resistance. One way to decrease on-resistance is to decrease the thickness of the epitaxial layer. As a result, the region of the epitaxial layer lying between the body region and the substrate (see numeral 25 in FIG. 1) is reduced in thickness. Since this region is of relatively high resistivity, the on-resistance of the device is reduced. However, as is known in the art, the risk of breakdown increases as the epitaxial layer becomes thinner, particularly in the termination region, which is more vulnerable to breakdown.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a trench MOSFET device is provided. The device comprises: (a) a substrate of a first conductivity type (preferably an n-type conductivity silicon substrate); (b) an epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type over the substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer has a lower majority carrier concentration than the substrate; (c) a trench extending into the epitaxial region from an upper surface of the epitaxial layer; (d) an insulating layer (preferably an oxide layer) lining at least a portion of the trench; (e) a conductive region (preferably a doped polysilicon region) within the trench adjacent the insulating layer; (f) a doped region of the first conductivity type formed within the epitaxial layer between a bottom portion of the trench and the substrate, wherein the doped region has a majority carrier concentration that is lower than that of the substrate and higher than that of the epitaxial layer; (g) a body region of a second conductivity type (preferably p-type conductivity) formed within an upper portion of the epitaxial layer and adjacent the trench, wherein the body region extends to a lesser depth from the upper surface of the epitaxial layer than does the trench; and (h) a source region of the first conductivity type formed within an upper portion of the body region and adjacent the trench.
The presence of the doped region lying between the bottom portion of the trench and the substrate (sometimes referred to herein as a xe2x80x9ctrench bottom implantxe2x80x9d based on its preferred mode of formation) serves to reduce the on-resistance of the device. Preferably this region extends more than 50% of the distance from the trench bottom to the substrate, more preferably 100% of the distance from the trench bottom to the substrate.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of forming a trench MOSFET device is provided. The method comprises: (a) providing a substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) depositing an epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type over the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a lower majority carrier concentration than the substrate; (c) forming a body region of a second conductivity type within an upper portion of the epitaxial layer; (d) etching a trench extending into the epitaxial region from an upper surface of the epitaxial layer such that the trench extends to a greater depth from the upper surface of the epitaxial layer than does the body region; (e) forming a doped region of the first conductivity type between a bottom portion of the trench and the substrate such that the doped region has a majority carrier concentration that is lower than that of the substrate and higher than that of the epitaxial layer; (f) forming an insulating layer lining at least a portion of the trench; (g) forming a conductive region within the trench adjacent the insulating layer; (h) forming a source region of the first conductivity type within an upper portion of the body region and adjacent the trench.
The doped region is preferably formed by a method comprising implanting a dopant of the first conductivity type into the epitaxial region, and diffusing dopant of the first conductivity type at elevated temperature. More preferably, the doped region is formed in connection with the trench by a method comprising: (a) forming a trench mask on the epitaxial layer; (b) etching the trench through the trench mask; (c) implanting a dopant of the first conductivity type through the trench mask; and (c) diffusing the dopant at elevated temperature. Even more preferably, the diffusion step is conducted concurrently with the growth of a sacrificial oxide along walls of the trench.
Trench bottom implants have been previously used to address a problem arising from devices that have deep body regions which extend to greater depths than the trenches (such as the deep body regions of FIG. 1). More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,481 is directed to a trench MOSFET device having deep body regions that extend deeper than the trench. Unfortunately, these deep body regions, which are provided to avoid trench corner electrical breakdown, create the problem of a parasitic JFET at the trench bottom. To reduce this parasitic JFET, a doped trench bottom implant region is provided at the bottom of the trench, which extends into the surrounding drift region. The trench bottom implant region has the same doping type, but is more highly doped, than the surrounding drift region. In contrast to U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,481, however, the trench MOSFET devices of the present invention are not provided with such deep body regions. Instead, the trenches of the devices of the present invention extend to a greater depth than do the body regions.
One advantage of the present invention is that a trench MOSFET cell is provided which has improved on-resistance.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a trench MOSFET cell with improved on-resistance is provided, without a substantial increase in design and process complexity.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a trench MOSFET cell can be provided, which has reduced resistance in the epitaxial layer between the trench bottoms and the substrate. In this way, on-resistance is reduced without thinning the epitaxial layer and compromising breakdown characteristics within the termination region.
The above and other embodiments and advantages of the present invention will become immediately apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the Detailed Description and claims to follow.